It's February in New York City, and we've got to admit that February in NYC isn't our favorite month.
What is our favorite month in NYC? Well, we kind of love December for all its holiday cheer, and July for all its warmth and free concerts and outdoor activities.
In February, though, NYC is dark and cold and kind of bleak. In February, most New Yorkers crave a trip out of the city.
Why do we leave? Well, NYC is the best city in the world, with the best nightlife, culture, art, and music. There's always something to do here, and everyone's always running around.
However, sometimes, especially in February, we've just got to take a break from this insane city. Read on to find out why.
1. It's freezing
We're cool with the freezing cold weather when it's the holiday season. It feels right to us then. We're bundled up, we're drinking apple cider, and we're staring in awe at some beautiful Christmas lights adorning the city.
When it's cold in February though? Well, that's just kind of depressing. When it's cold in February and the beginning of March, we're all just sort of holding on tight waiting for spring to come.
[anad]
Trudging around NYC when it's beautiful out feels just right. Trudging around NYC when it's cold dark and miserable makes us pretty stoked about getting out of the city.
2. Skiing and snowboarding
redbull Hope to see you flying again soon, Aksel! ⛷ 📷: @tengsphoto 🏃🏼: @amikkelsenrally @asvindal #wrc #rally #motorsport #skiing #ski
February is a pretty good month to ski, and even though there are some spots you can ski within NYC, it's definitely always a good move to get out of NYC to really flex your skiing skills.
Where should you get out of the city to go?
Well, Mountain Creek in Vernon Township, NJ is only a 15 minute trip out of the city and it's got 46 trails and 8 lifts, and a ton of fresh powder.
There's also Hunter Mountain, in Hunter New York, with its 22 open trails and stunning views, or Windham Mountain Resort, which has 16 potential trails.
Why would you continue to explore the city you know so well when there are so many new places to check out?
3. It's expensive
Okay, we know NYC is expensive, you know NYC is expensive, everyone knows NYC is expensive.
Sometimes, we get really tired of that. Sometimes it's worth it to spend however much you'd spend on a plane or train ticket to get out of the city, and then watch your bar and restaurant bills roll in.
[anad2]
Every New Yorker knows what it's like to involuntarily let out a cheer when the bill comes, because you're so used to everything costing so much more. Just that moment of pure joy alone is worth it to get out of the city in February.
4. Valentine's Day sucks
Not having a date on Valentine's Day can come at you hard, especially when you're spending half your free time warding off questions from your family about why you're not dating anyone yet.
Explaining to your family that no one dates anyone in NYC can be frustrating when you just walked down the street and saw six couples holding hands, and then you went into a restaurant to eat alone and saw only couples in the restaurant.
So, yeah, you see what we're saying, don't you?
We need to feel like we're having a good Valentine's Day weekend whether we have a date or not, and getting out of the city and into a new environment is usually a much better way to do that than hitting up the bars we go to every weekend.
,5. Our apartments are small
spoiled_nyc truth. 💯💯💯 #linkinbio #goals #nycrrealestate #nycapartmentsbelike #onlyinny #onlyinnyc #onlyinnewyork #brooklynsdone #queensisnext
In NYC, it's crowded. Of course it is. There are 8.3 million people that squeeze themselves into this city, and 1.626 million people that live in Manhattan, plus the more than 600,000 people who commute into Manhattan every day.
Which means that we all live in pretty small, cramped spaces, and most of us live with roommates. Our roommates could be the best people in the world, but when we're spending day in and day out in these cramped spaces with them, anyone could start to get on our nerves.
[anad]
What does that mean? Well, it definitely means we could use a journey to a bigger city with a smaller population, and we could certainly appreciate the chance to stretch our legs a little bit.
Plus, of course, we could use a break from all the people we always hang out with, even though we love them dearly.
6. It's noisy
iza_goulart Hello NYC!! I've missed you!!! Always Nice to be back!! #nyc #goodmorning #bomdia #homesweethome #cold #morning ⛄️⛄️
It goes without saying that NYC is a noisy place. We're constantly barraged by noises like sirens, alarms, car horns, and subway conductors yelling at us to stand clear of the doors.
So, yeah, we could all use a break every once in a while. It'd be nice to sleep through a night without being shaken awake by a car blasting DJ Khaled or the couple that lives next door fighting about who left the milk out.
We definitely have trouble falling asleep that first night out of the city, when everything is eerily quiet, but once we're used to it, there really isn't any going back.
7. Everyone's always rushing
hevrank It's well and truly a given... #alwayslate #sozabarme #everytime #skills #sotrue #banter #insta #instaquote
Ever left NYC and experienced the pure serenity of a city where everyone was walking slowly? Where your friends didn't care if you were 20 minutes late? Where you didn't feel like a total monster for taking a long time to get your money out of your wallet?
Yeah, those places exist. There are some places where people stroll along the sidewalk instead of barging down it in a sprint-walk.
[anad2]
Sometimes, especially in freezing cold, dark, miserable February, we start to get fed up with all the rushing. We'd like to take it down a notch. So, we leave.
8. Construction
In NYC, we trade views of the starry night sky for views of really pretty, really tall skyscrapers.
In order for those skyscrapers to be built, though, we have to put up with way more construction than we'd like. We also have to put up with way more scaffolding than we'd prefer, too.
Leaving the city during February can be bliss not just because we don't get to go to the beach in NYC in February, nor is it pleasant to hike around nature.
Leaving NYC in February can be bliss simply because we get to avoid the sounds of jack hammers and the irritation of walking under scaffolding all day long. Also, actually getting the chance to look at the stars is pretty great.
Check out 9 Weird & Meaningless Things Only New Yorkers Ever Get Excited About.
[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]